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Tue 3 May, 2005 09:00 pm
Hi. I am from China. An artist friend here has designed some porcelain items featuring crabs which he plans to sell at a beach resort. But we have noticed the image of the crab appearing in western postal stamps commemorating human health achievements and in the logos of some health organizations, in which it symbolizes cancer. We understand that the origin of this symbolism perhaps has to do with the Greek word for crab, and there is Cancer the zodiac sign. My question: Is the crab a forbidden art motif in the west for this symbolic reason? Does the ordinary western tourist tend to avoid buying items featuring the crab for souvenir or gift? Or could the mere sight of a crab image in a store inspire enough unpleasant feelings in the western tourist to drive them out immediately? We are quite confused, with one out of a dozen humans having to be born Cancerian according to western astrology and gifts bearing the sign and it’s English name seen everywhere even here in China.
Just how would you feel if you chance upon a porcelain crab in a souvenir store at some beach resort? Australia has many sea resorts; is crab-featuring art articles often seen there?
Thank you for your help.
Pictures of crabs don't have any negative connotations in Australia.
However they aren't considered particularly attractive either.
We like to eat them (see 'Mud crab in champagne sauce')
The word 'crab' is also slang for pubic lice.
I hate souveneirs so I wouldn't even walk into the shop.
Crabs aren't uniquely associated with China so perhaps customers would prefer something more 'chinese-looking'. Pagodas, pandas, junks, dragons, tanks etc.
thank you hinge head
thank you for the info and advice, hingehead. My friend does have some pottery sampans for sale. tan...good idea, tho they obviously take a bit too much craftsmanship.
I see your friend's problem. Maybe even some nice calligraphy would go sell OK (particularly if the translation of the writing was on the bottom of the piece) I could see some of my countrymen buying an elegant looking piece with something rude, lewd, crude or just plain funny or ridiculous in another language written on it. Oh well, good luck.
And welcome to A2K.
watercolor crabs by a 6-year-old kid
I just realised that calling someone here a crab or describing them as crabby means they are bad tempered or grumpy/joyless.
The bully stuff is interesting (especially as bully obviously means 'like a bull'). Etymology gives me a headache.
If I had to pick a region of the world that crabs are associated with I'd almost certainly pick the east coast of the US.
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